Faculty Promotions

During the May 28-29 semi-annual Board meeting, the Seminary’s Board of Directors approved the following faculty promotions. The Rev. Dr. John E. Wilson was appointed to the P.C. Rossin Chair of Church History. The Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Peters and the Rev. Dr. Scott W. Sunquist became full professors, Henry L. Hillman Professor of Urban Ministry and Professor of World Christianity respectively. Associate professor of Old Testament, the Rev. Dr. Steven S. Tuell, was awarded tenure.

Wilson has taught at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary since 1984. In his teaching he focuses mainly on modern church history (since the Reformation). Before coming to Pittsburgh he was Privatdozent for church history at the University of Basel and a pastor in the Swiss Reformed Church (1972-1984). Wilson’s research interests focus in the area of 19th century religious thought, especially hermeneutics. His most recent publication is Introduction to Modern Theology: Trajectories in the German Tradition (WJK, 2007).

Peters has been a member of the Seminary faculty since 1991 and teaches courses in the areas of church and ministry, education, Bible, and ethics. He brings 18 years of pastoral ministry experience in the urban context to the Seminary classroom. He has been a consultant for the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church on a number of urban social policy, justice and racial/ethnic concerns. Current research interests include faith-based community ministry, men’s ministry issues, reconciliation as public policy, at-risk youth, family ministry, and African spirituality.

Sunquist came to the Seminary in 1995 after teaching and writing at Trinity Theological College in the Republic of Singapore from 1987-1995. He is the editor of A Dictionary of Asian Christianity (Eerdmans, 2001) and co-author of A History of the World Christian Movement, Volume I (Orbis Books, 2001). Sunquist recently published a book with his daughter, Caroline Becker, entitled A History of Presbyterian Missions: 1944-2007 (Geneva Press, 2008). His courses at the Seminary are related to mission theology, gospel and culture issues, and world Christianity. Sunquist also works with the World Mission Initiative at the Seminary.

Before coming to Pittsburgh, Tuell taught at Erskine College, S.C. (1989-1992) and Randolph-Macon College, Va. (1992-2005), serving at both schools as department chair, and receiving numerous awards for teaching excellence. An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, Tuell has served churches in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Virginia. He has written two books, a study of Ezekiel 40-48 and a commentary on 1 and 2 Chronicles in the Interpretation series, and with John Strong has co-edited Constituting the Community: Studies on the Polity of Ancient Israel in Honor of S. Dean McBride, Jr. (Eisenbrauns 2005).

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is a graduate professional institution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A). Founded in 1794, the Seminary is located in Pittsburgh, Pa. and approximately 320 students are enrolled yearly in the degree programs. The Seminary prepares leaders who proclaim with great joy God’s message of good news in both word and deed. PTS is rooted in the Reformed history of faithfulness to Scripture and commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.